The European Union is preparing specific action plans for successful candidate countries like Montenegro, Ukraine, Moldova, and Albania. This initiative aims to accelerate the long-term membership process for these countries. Two senior officials from the European Commission, who are working on these proposals, have not been named due to the sensitivity of the matter.
New commitments and requirements for candidate countries
The aforementioned action plans will specify precise expectations for each candidate country and will also create new requirements for current member states that must express their agreement to continue this process. These plans will set a rough timeline for achieving a group of reforms, known as "negotiation clusters," which are considered the cornerstone of progress towards membership.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, promised targeted support for candidate countries that have made the most progress during her speech at the annual Union meeting in September. However, other candidate countries that are at earlier stages, such as Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, will not benefit from action plans at this stage.
Challenges facing candidate countries
Similarly, Georgia, Turkey, and Serbia, whose membership requests have been stalled due to concerns about democratic and judicial backsliding, will not benefit from these plans. A Commission spokesperson has confirmed that these new plans will provide "a clearer path towards the end of accession negotiations" and will outline the priorities, timelines, and necessary outcomes to assist more advanced candidates in completing essential reforms.
A draft pre-accession text that has been made available states: "Enlargement remains a geopolitical necessity. However, accession is time-consuming." Candidate countries must complete a rigorous and merit-based process and deliver deep and sustainable reforms.
National leaders will discuss how and at what pace to accept new members during a two-day meeting in Brussels starting on October 15, and in return, the Commission will seek political support from them to expedite this process. The European Council will also have a strategic discussion on enlargement and internal reforms.
Kos, one of the officials, stated earlier this month that he hopes the proposed changes and negotiations with leaders will lead to an "autumn of enlargement," after years of stagnation.
Von der Leyen will travel to the Western Balkans this week to talk with leaders of Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, and Kosovo. However, she will refrain from visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, which are holding national elections.
